Female Horror anthology falls short - XX Review

XX is the latest Horror anthology film showcasing examples of director’s potential talents, and although painfully familiar, thankfully this time there is a twist on it. All four of the features on display are written and directed exclusively by women, with the horrors suffered in these shorts being told from the female perspective.

WIth anthology films it may seem cruel to argue that the film is only as good as its worst segment. If this were indeed the case, then a good anthology film may not even exist. However, the issue is that you can never regard the entire piece in the same light as the best short. There seems to always be a variety in quality, as after all, each individual film is made by someone different, and conflicting styles can cause the tone to falter and fall. The eerie animations that tie the pieces together are simply not enough to combine the films with success.

The first segment directed by Jovanka Vuckovic tells the story of a family manipulated into starvation, mysteriously orchestrated by a stranger they briefly acknowledge on a train. This is by far the best made of the collection, and despite the acting not appearing as professional as one would hope, the premise is interesting and there are some disturbing visuals that linger on the mind whilst watching the other segments. It manages to possess an ambiguity that the other shorts certainly do not aim for. Titled simply as ‘The box’, it is a satisfyingly creepy introduction to the collection, and sadly makes the second segment, ‘The Birthday Cake’ seem even worse in comparison. By far the worst film of the four, it is a ridiculous romp following a woman covering up the body of her dead husband on the morning of her daughter’s birthday. It fails in its comedic aspirations and just feels like an unnecessary tonal shift from the latter.

Fans of traditional ‘stalk & slash’ horror will appreciate the third segment. ‘Don’t Fall’ is a condensed tale of a group of teens isolated in the middle of nowhere, who you may have guessed, stumble on something they shouldn’t have. It is extremely generic, but feels refreshing after the boring antics of the second segment. There are some cool effects and locations, and it’s short duration ensures that it is over before it becomes tedious.

The fourth and most ambitious segment, ‘Her Only Living Son’, centres around a troubled mother-son relationship, which as his eighteenth birthday approaches, threatens to erode completely. Once again there is some bad acting from the accompanying cast, and the whole premise feels wearily executed, causing the collection to end on an underwhelming note.

XX, following the likes of the VHS franchise and the disreputable Southbound just to name a few, contains some promise, but suffering from its format, allows the good and bad to walk hand in hand harmoniously.

4/10

Written by Chris Weston